The Return of the Manhattan (5 page)

CHAPTER 9

The interceptors had been in formation for twenty four hours when Kevin and three other pilots relieved the four who had been on station the previous four hours. While several thousand miles from Juliet, Commander and Mrs. White joined Marie in the shuttle craft ready, waiting until the remaining starfighters were launched. The shuttle was pushed out through the airlock and moved several hundred feet from the Excalibur using the powerful tractor beam most often used for the launches especially when underway at their speed. As Marie was given the all clear, she pushed the throttles forward moving the shuttle rapidly toward the rendezvous with Juliet.

As Marie began to slow the shuttle for docking, she changed her radio frequency and called, “Space Station Juliet, Shuttle One ready for docking.”

The controller’s voice bordered on hysteria as she shrieked her response, “Shuttle One! Break now! You have an unidentified fighter on your six.”

Without hesitation, Marie shoved the throttles full forward while adding maximum input for a hard descending right turn. It was too late as the pirate fired his weapons at the first sound of warning, vaporizing a gaping hole in the side of the shuttle causing an explosive decompression. Marie and her passengers died instantly as trapped gases in their lungs and other body cavities expanded more rapidly than the gases could escape causing massive internal hemorrhaging followed by ruptures through the walls of their chest cavities. It wouldn’t have mattered as the remainder of the shuttle vaporized as the renegade held his finger on the trigger.

Kevin was one second late as his Laser beam made contact with the renegade ship which was followed by an even stronger avenging blast from the Excalibur. The remaining renegade fleet of almost fifty fighters emerged from their cloaking and began to attack the Excalibur like swarming killer bees. The ensuing battle was fierce although short as the pirate forces made a major error in judgment attacking an impregnable vessel with its protective shield in place and within the deadly range of the Excalibur’s Lasers. The renegade forces were disorganized with their leader gone and unable to regroup before being utterly decimated. Those pirates lucky enough to fly out of range of the Excalibur were systematically hunted and destroyed by the technologically superior forces under Kevin Haugen’s command.

Another shuttle was launched to retrieve the passengers before the Excalibur and her crew pulled away from Space Station Juliet without her commander, his wife or Marie.

Laura, not quite three years old, couldn’t understand what happened to her mother, but she sensed the sadness and misery in her father’s voice. She clung to him crying, “I want my Mama.”

David was heartsick, hardly able to keep his anger in check and keep the quavering emotions from his voice as he tried to comfort her. “Laura, honey, it’s you and me now.” He hugged her, kissing her, trying to drive away the hurt. “Mommy is…” He broke down sobbing, composing himself for her benefit. “Mommy has gone to be with Jesus. It’s hard, but you will have to be the lady of the house. I need you to help me run this ship. Can you do that?”

“Mommy not coming back?” Her question was more a statement of simple understanding of the new state of her family. She did not understand, but somehow in a childish sort of way, she sensed the permanent nature of her mother’s absence. “Why? How come her go away?”

“Mama didn’t want to go, but some bad men hurt her; she is in a safe place where they can’t hurt her anymore.”

She quieted allowing David to lead her into the auditorium for the memorial service. She didn’t understand evil men, and could only draw parallels with an association with naughty children. In her naive and innocent state, she couldn’t conceive of any ideas of revenge, although as she heard the simple statements of other crew members in memorial, she sensed the bad men had paid for their misdeeds. She sat by her father’s side in solemn dignity as the eulogies were read honoring her mother, Commander White and his wife Elaine. At that time, there was a sense of mission dedication ingrained within her to serve the ship which was now her father’s to command and a loyalty to her country which she didn’t know.

David wanted no time to grieve, and kept as busy as humanly possible. He invited Kevin Haugen to his private office, turning on him as he entered. “You are a disgrace to your profession! What happened out there is beyond my comprehension. I certainly don’t understand defensive fighter tactics, but I thought you did.”

Kevin stood without offering any excuses looking David straight in the eye until David’s anger subsided. David continued, “I shouldn’t blame you, but I have to direct my anger somewhere. And you did an exceptional job in cleaning up the mess. Let’s leave it at that. Regardless of how I feel at the moment, I’m promoting you to chief pilot as you are the most qualified to take over that position. I have another task for you since there will be no flying until we reach our destination. I’m activating our Big Brother Security System and I want you to conduct the investigation.”

David began the next Executive Council meeting solemnly, seething inside, holding his anger in check, “What happened is tragic; We made a tactical error in assuming the target was the Excalibur rather than the shuttle. I had a premonition, but didn’t act on it. I don’t know what we could have done differently, and it no longer matters, but I will be more sensitive to those types of feelings and seek counsel from you whenever I have doubts in the future. Some of you may think we should end this mission right now. That’s not about to happen. Some of you may think I’m too young to take over the ship and grieving too much to make valid judgments. I am grief stricken, but it has not changed the facts. Commander White and President Gardiner both had confidence in me and my ability to continue. We planned for this eventuality, although I didn’t think it would happen, but we will continue. We have a vital mission to perform and I intend to see it through to completion. Does anyone have any objections?”

Nobody objected and all expressed their confidence in him before he continued, “Roger Dorn is now my executive officer and will act as second in command. He will continue giving his experiments priority, but he will take part in all major decisions. Kevin Haugen will join us on the executive council, and take over Marie’s position as flight commander. Roger, you can brief him on all research projects at your leisure. I’m not satisfied with the security aboard ship; I find it hard to believe those pirate forces would have attacked one lone Battle Cruiser risking everything they had, without being tipped off concerning our mission or our weaknesses. Because of the serious nature of our loss, and the possibility of saboteurs or spies aboard, I have asked Kevin to conduct an independent investigation. I hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, but after consultation with President Gardiner, I am authorizing Kevin to activate our Big Brother Security System. The system was installed several months ago under Roger’s supervision while he alone installed key components which I hope means that until this moment Roger and I were the only ones other than Commander White who were aware of its existence or purpose. It’s a rather sophisticated, but simple system that monitors every activity, and I mean every activity aboard this ship with microscopic microphones and camera lenses. Does anyone have any questions?”

Warren Baker jumped to his feet responding heatedly, “Surely, you don’t mean you have been spying on us since day one? What right do you have to do away with our individual rights and freedoms? I hardly know what to think or say about this, but I don’t like it!

David’s temper again rose to the surface, and he had to use all his restraint as he responded slowly in a controlled command voice, “Sit down, Warren, and take it easy.” And then continued in a milder tone, “I don’t like it either. If the survival of our civilization wasn’t at stake, I wouldn’t consider it. We absolutely have to know if we have any opposition on board. Roger and I have already spent hours with the central computer checking out Kevin’s every activity since he came on board. He’s clean. In fact we checked on each of you on the council in the same manner. Roger even checked on me, while I checked on him. Before we go any further, I must explain. We don’t monitor your conversations or watch videos of anyone’s activity. We simply let the computer do complete data searches and key in on certain images or phrases we think might be suspicious. I’m sorry if you object, but I don’t have any choice!”

Warren calmed down, but was still agitated, “David, I don’t like it. I’m a little paranoid about computers gaining control of our mission and our entire civilization for that matter.”

David continued, “You, as a council can override me on this as it is a matter of stretching my legal authority, and I want this council to have a positive governing role in the operation of this ship. The president approved this surveillance, but even he doesn’t have that kind of authority. If I wanted to be devious, I wouldn’t have said anything. I assure you; we look at no video or listen to any conversations. Kevin will not do that either without at least two other council members present. His job will be primarily a computer search, bringing any results before the council before anyone will watch or listen. Unless you override me on this, Kevin will have the authority to proceed. I’m going to my quarters now, and you can discuss it in private. If I hear nothing to the contrary, we will proceed. The council will meet again tomorrow morning at O Eight hundred.”

David walked out, going to check on Laura.

CHAPTER 10

Laura accompanied her father to the council meeting the following morning, sitting quietly and listening intently as they discussed the next stages of their mission. Roger was given the go ahead to turn the ship broadside to their direction of flight and accelerate as rapidly as feasible to and beyond Warp Speed. Nothing more was said in David’s presence in opposition to Operation Big Brother.

Laura became a constant companion of her father following him throughout the ship as he performed his duties, except for her school time which gradually became more intense. She was a bright child and quickly grasped the ideas of command and protocol. David included her in all the executive council meetings even though he never knew how much she understood. As she grew older, she occasionally would interject ideas which David took seriously as did the other members of the council.

Two weeks later, Kevin found a computer match of several key words and phrases and David convened the council giving Kevin free rein conducting the meeting. He began speaking directly to the computer, “Computer, this is Kevin. Activate Big Brother and present audio and video on subject previously selected.”

The computer voice was well modulated and even as it responded, “Verification for Kevin Haugen is satisfactory. Request the presence of two additional council members.”

David responded, “David Ashton here,” and placed his hand on the identification module.

The computer almost droned, “David Ashton verified.”

Roger placed his hand on the module and added, “Roger Dorn here.”

“Roger Dorn verified. Please verify that no one without access is present.”

David replied, “All present are council members except Laura Ashton. She has my authorization. Continue.”

“Accepted. Three matches have been found for Bill Moore. Video and voice and images will follow.”

A holographic image of Bill Moore, their chief of security, in his private quarters appeared in midair in front of the council members. Bill was using a portable computer to make and record a series of tones. The image faded and Bill’s image appeared in the communications center activating the recorder and a nearly inaudible muted tone could faintly be heard the same time as another authorized coded message was being sent by the communications technician. Another indistinct image appeared with Bill in a bathroom stall whispering instructions directing the attack on the Excalibur.

Kevin spoke as the images faded, “Computer, decode recording!”

The computer voice droned on, “Recording includes coordinates and time corresponding to the rendezvous of the Excalibur at Space Station Juliet.”

Kevin asked, “Computer, are there any other matches?”

“None. Search continues!”

Warren Baker exploded, “Well I’ll be Dad Gummed! And I objected to this computer search. What is this world coming to?”

David spoke, “That’s interesting. Good thing we didn’t have him doing the investigation. Kevin, I want every move of his monitored for now, but take no action against him. Instruct the computer to expand the search to include all visits to the Comm Center by anyone, and particularly Bill Moore, especially since our encounter with the pirates. I’d like to know his next plan of attack.”

Roger asked, “What should we do with him?”

David responded, “Warren, I think you said the hibernation state experiments were going well. We will freeze him and he can face treason charges when we return.”

Warren wanted to know, “Why not do it now?”

Kevin pointed out, “I’d like to freeze him, put him in a capsule and maroon him in space, but we have just begun our search and I don’t want to miss anybody else that might be involved. We will keep a close eye on him mostly with the computer. It can monitor his every movement and if any key words are spoken, I will be alerted immediately. We will watch for any communications devices and keep an even closer eye on him if he goes anywhere near the Comm Center.”

David’s voice was calm, but serious, “Kevin, I think we heard you very confidently talk in the same way when you spoke about protecting the shuttle. I don’t like the idea any more now than I did then, though I think you’re right this time. I’m not blaming you, I think we all should have anticipated that attack, and should have taken appropriate actions to prevent it. We do need to complete the investigation before we take any action. I don’t want any direct observation unless the computer finds a key match. Then we’ll meet to listen together unless it involves immediate security of the Excalibur. Other than the security personnel, clear all personnel associated with Roger’s Time Project first.” Kevin nodded his understanding and David turned toward the others, “Roger, bring us up to speed on the acceleration.”

“We have a bit of time before approaching Warp one, but we should pass that milestone within the next month. We have encountered no problems so far and everyone seems to be adjusting to the slightly higher body weights associated with the acceleration forces. If we could get everyone to remain in the reclining position, we could double that process.”

“Well that’s impractical. Maybe you could increase it slightly. Warren can monitor any associated health problems. Warren, how’s your hibernation project coming along?”

“It’s going well; We have half of the non-essential personnel participating. I’ve got lots of volunteers hoping to make this project part of their medical education.”